World Cup 2010: Five Ads We Won’t Miss

Once you’ve watched 10 days of the FIFA World Cup 2010 on ESPN in India, you don’t just become familiar with the players, the referees, the commentators and the vuvuzelas, you also have seen the same advertisements dozens of times.

So today we take a light-hearted look at some of those that have been coming up with predictable regularity during the pregame show, at half time and after full time.

Let us know your own opinion of the ads that appear during the game broadcasts in the Comments section.

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VODAFONE (GUY WITH GIRL):

The ad: A young man canoodling on a bench with his girlfriend distracts her, substitutes a stuffed dummy to sit with her, she doesn’t notice the difference while he nips off to watch the football with his pals.

What we saw: “Women are easily fooled and not at all interested in football,” was my wife’s reaction when I asked what the ad said to her. The ad portrays the girlfriend as being so stupid that whatever it is that her boyfriend points out to her, you can actually read her lips saying, “Amazing.” Oh yes, she is also too stupid to notice that her boyfriend has been replaced by a scarecrow. Or perhaps it says more about the boy: My boyfriend is so dull that I can’t tell the difference between him and a shirt stuffed with straw. Either way, it falls flat.

Out of five: two

NOKIA (ASPIRATIONAL CAREER GUY)

The ad: A young man is forced to make tough choices between his lady love and his band mate on the one hand and his work on the other. But he manages to balance everything as he climbs the career ladder thanks to his Nokia phone. He reunites with his lady and band mate at a corporate bash in his honor.

What we saw: Once you’ve abandoned your best friend and your girlfriend for a PowerPoint presentation, console yourself that you at least have the latest gadget available as your constant (and only) companion. Then be immensely thankful and humbled that your girlfriend and oldest friend are nice enough to still show up to your lame employee-of-the-month award ceremony. Easily the most annoying advertisement of the World Cup so far.

Out of five: zero

VODAFONE (SHAKIRA WAKA WAKA)

The ad: Shakira sings the FIFA World Cup 2010 song interspersed with shots of famous footballers and crowds celebrating at past World Cups.

What we saw: It’s a fun, upbeat little slice of South Africa (even though she is from Colombia) that is preferable in many ways to the official video. It’s shorter, for a start. But when your infant son starts saying “Waka Waka,” you know you have a problem. The tune will get into your head and only surgery will remove it.

Out of five: four

HERO HONDA (HRITHIK ROSHAN’S HAT)

The ad: Hrithik Roshan loses his baseball cap in storm, jumps on a motorbike, rides through tornados, tidal waves and any number of other natural disasters to get it back.

What we saw: Bollywood star trying to look like American trucker (why?) loses hat of clearly little or no value so employs a stunt double to blow through the special effects department. Has to wear helmet while riding bike but replaces helmet with cap at the end of the commercial to show…..We don’t know. Perhaps that if you buy this bike it will make you lose all sense of proportion and risk your life to retrieve a worthless article of clothing. Even by the absurd standards of motorcycle advertising, this one takes the biscuit for ridiculousness.

Out of five: one

SPICE (SONAM KAPOOR)

The ad: A man and woman, actor Sonam Kapoor, meet in the airport. Both are watching videos on their Spice mobile phones. He asks what she is watching, she says, “A movie.” She asks him the same question. He says: “You.” She looks concerned and gets up to leave before he points out that he is watching a movie in which she stars.

What we saw: Creepy dude strikes up conversation with unusually beautiful woman. She is nice enough to respond to his overture. He then totally freaks her out by suggesting he is filming her while she sits in an airport lounge chair. When he explains his “witty” double entendre, she looks relieved to know he is not stalking her. Way to go, ad message creators. This ad tries to be clever but leaves you not wanting to sit near anyone who has a Spice phone. And it ends with this question: “What are you watching?” Em, the World Cup.

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